Turkey’s Crop Tour Report, from June 20-29, 2001

Two FAS analysts traveled through Turkey from June 20-28, 2001 to monitor crop conditions for winter wheat, cotton and corn.  The crop tour covered central Anatolia (Konya), Southeastern Anatolia (Sanliurfa), Mediterranean (Adana, Antakay, and Asi Valley), and Marmara (Sakarya) regions.  The findings were:

• Wheat production for 2001/02 will be down by 10-15 percent from last year due to dry conditions in Central Anatolia.  Currently, USDA estimates the 2001/02 wheat production for Turkey at 16 million metric tons, down by nearly 10 percent from last year’s 17.5-million-ton crop.
  
• Cotton production for 2001/02 may reach the 1995/96 record levels of 3.9 million bales, due to increased planted area and further expansion of the GAP irrigation project. Total cotton area increased from 670,000 hectares for 2000/01 to 700,000 hectares for 2001/02.
  
• Corn production for 2001/02 is estimated at 2.1 million  tons, equaling last year’s crop and the 5-year average. The second crop was still being planted, but a larger planted area may not be realized due to low water reservoir levels in Adana.  The Adana region produces nearly 40 percent of Turkey’s corn.
  
• Irrigated cotton area increased in Southeastern Anatolia from 1995-2001 due to the opening of one Sanliurfa Tunnel from the Ataturk Dam at the end of 1994.  Another Sanliurfa Tunnel will be opened next year, 2002, and inauguration of the second tunnel should continue to increase irrigated cotton area for the region.